When it comes to creating a truly relaxing bedroom oasis, don’t sleep on the importance of good bedding. Considering you’ll spend roughly a third of your life in bed, you’ll want to be cozying up in a sheet set that feels dreamy.
This is why bedding company Avec has untangled the entire process with its Align System, which borrows the European philosophy of combining the top sheet and duvet cover into one seamless piece. Leaning into the sensible notion that a well-made bed is the first step to a well-made life, Avec simplifies that crucial morning task. The duvet cover and top sheet in the brand’s patented 2-1 Align Sheet System are designed to easily zip into place for a single-step bed-making process.
Of course, streamlining that particular chore is just one way to cultivate a sanctuary-like sleep space. We asked Los Angeles-based interior designer Linette Dai to lay out a few more tips to help us all rest easier.
Stay on Neutral Territory
The key to a tranquil bedroom space,” says Dai, the founder and principal designer of Linette Dai Design, is setting a palette of “soft neutrals, such as cream or light taupe with gentle shades of your favorite color.” Her preferred hues include a sage or olive green, muted pale or gray blue, dusty mauve or lavender and warm peach: “These colors can help the space feel connected to nature without being overly stimulating.”
Get Back to Nature
Act as natural as possible to cultivate a relaxing oasis, advises Dai, who likes to fill bedrooms with natural-wood floors and soft wool rugs “that can help the room feel grounded and cozy.” For bedding, she opts for “breathable textiles” such as linen blends, viscose or cotton. (Try the Avec Align System’s viscose and European flax linen blends, which get softer with each wash.) Dai also loves to toss in a mohair throw “for an added layer of comfy, everyday luxury.”
When it comes to paint, she prefers matte finishes or even a limewash for a “laid-back resort feel,” she says. Another tip: Incorporate stone or travertine in nightstands, dressers, headboards and other furniture pieces “for a touch of elegance,” as Dai puts it.
Cut a Path
It’s a lot easier to rise and get ready to grind when your furniture isn’t blocking the route to the closet or the bathroom or bedroom door, Dai points out. She recommends tucking armchairs into empty corners, and placing your bed along the longest wall “to ensure there’s at least two to three feet of space on either side for easy movement.”
Those with larger spaces can even consider creating a dedicated dressing area, “with a bench and full-length mirror by the closet,” she adds. “The right arrangement should serve your daily lifestyle needs to make your room feel like your personal haven.”
Go Soft With Lighting
To craft a relaxing atmosphere, “avoid overhead canned lighting and harsh, direct downlights,” says Dai. Instead, she says, opt for more ambient lighting, such as shaded sconces, lamps and dimmable task lights, and fill the fixtures with bulbs between 2,700 and 3,000 K for that soothing soft glow.
With these tips, and Avec’s hassle-free bedding, you can be sure that the third of your life spent in bed will be seamlessly snug.
